Pragasen Pillay

Modeling, simulation, and analysis of permanent-magnet motor drives. I. The permanent-magnet synchronous motor drive

The application of vector control to the PMSM (permanent-magnet synchronous motor) is described, and complete modeling, simulation, and analysis of the drive system are presented. State-space models of the motor and speed controller and real-time models of the inverter switches and vector controller are included. Performance differences due to the use of pulsewidth-modulation (PWM) and hysteresis current controllers are also examined. Particular attention is paid to the motor torque pulsations and speed response. Some experimental verification of the drive performance is also given. >

Modeling, simulation, and analysis of permanent-magnet motor drives. II. The brushless DC motor drive

For pt.I see ibid., vol.25, no.2, p.265-73 (1989). The authors develop a phase variable model of the BDCM (brushless DC motor) and use it to examine the performance of a BDCM speed servo drive system when fed by hysteresis and pulsewidth-modulated (PWM) current controllers. Particular attention was paid to the motor large-signal and small-signal dynamics and motor torque pulsations. The simulation included the state-space model of the motor and speed controller and real-time model of the inverter switches. Every instance of a power device turning on or off was simulated to calculate the current oscillations and resulting torque pulsations. The results indicate that the small- and large-signal responses are very similar. This result is only true when the timing of the input phase currents with the back EMF (electromotive force) is correct. The large-signal and small-signal speed response is the same whether PWM or hysteresis current controllers are used. This is because, even though the torque pulsations may be different due to the use of different current controllers, the average value which determines the overall speed response is the same. >

Modeling of permanent magnet motor drives

Research has indicated that the permanent magnet motor drives, which include the permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) and the brushless DC motor (BDCM) could become serious competitors to the induction motor for servo applications. The PMSM has a sinusoidal back EMF and requires sinusoidal stator currents to produce constant torque while the BDCM has a trapezoidal back EMF and requires rectangular stator currents to produce constant torque. The PMSM is very similar to the wound rotor synchronous machine except that the PMSM that is used for servo applications tends not to have any damper windings and excitation is provided by a permanent magnet instead of a field winding. Hence the d, q model of the PMSM can be derived from the well-known model of the synchronous machine with the equations of the damper windings and field current dynamics removed. Because of the nonsinusoidal variation of the mutual inductances between the stator and rotor in the BDCM, it is also shown that no particular advantage exists in transforming the abc equations of the BCDM to the d, q frame. Hence the solution of the original abc equations is proposed for the BDCM. >

Application characteristics of permanent magnet synchronous and brushless DC motors for servo drives

The permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) and the brushless DC motor (BDCM) have many similarities; they both have permanent magnets on the rotor and require alternating stator currents to produce constant torque. For application considerations, these two motor drives have to be differentiated on the basis of known engineering criteria. Some of the criteria used to assess these two machines include power density, torque per unit current, speed range, feedback devices, inverter rating, cogging torque, ripple torque, and parameter sensitivity. Guidelines for the appropriate machine to be used for a given application are given based on the results of the criteria. >

Multilevel selective harmonic elimination PWM technique in series-connected voltage inverters

The selective harmonic elimination PWM (SHEPWM) method is systematically applied for the first time to multilevel series-connected voltage source PWM inverters. The method is implemented based on optimization techniques. The optimization starting point is obtained using a phase-shift harmonic suppression approach. Another less computationally demanding harmonic suppression technique, called a mirror surplus harmonic method, is proposed for five-level (double-cell) inverters. Theoretical results of both methods are verified by experiments and simulations for a double-cell inverter. Simulation results for a five-cell (11-level) inverter are also presented for the multilevel SHEPWM method.

PM wind generator topologies

The objective of this paper is to provide a comparison among permanent magnet (PM) wind generators of different topologies. Seven configurations are chosen for the comparison, consisting of both radial-flux and axial-flux machines. The comparison is done at seven power levels ranging from 1 to 200 kW. The basis for the comparison is discussed and implemented in detail in the design procedure. The criteria used for comparison are considered to be critical for the efficient deployment of PM wind generators. The design data are optimized and verified by finite-element analysis and commercial generator test results. For a given application, the results provide an indication of the best-suited machine.

Cogging Torque Reduction in Permanent Magnet Machines

This paper examines two methods - magnet shifting and optimizing the magnet pole arc - for reducing cogging torque in permanent magnet machines. The methods were applied to existing machine designs and their performance was calculated using finite-element analysis (FEA). Prototypes of the machine designs were constructed and experimental results obtained. It is shown that the FEA predicted the cogging torque to be nearly eliminated using the two methods. However, there was some residual cogging in the prototypes due to manufacturing difficulties. In both methods, the back electromotive force was improved by reducing harmonics while preserving the magnitude.

Broken rotor bar detection in induction machines with transient operating speeds

Previous work on condition monitoring of induction machines has focused on steady-state speed operation. Here, a new concept is introduced based on an analysis of transient machine currents. The technique centers around the extraction and removal of the fundamental component of the current and analyzing the residual current using wavelets. Test results of induction machines operating both as a motor and a generator shows the ability of the algorithm to detect broken rotor bars.

California Electricity Situation

In a three-phase system, voltage unbalance takes place when the magnitudes of phase or line voltages are different and the phase angles differ from the balanced conditions, or both. This letter reviews three definitions of voltage unbalance developed by NEMA, IEEE, and the power community, respectively. The differing definitions of voltage unbalance are analyzed in order to understand the implications of their use.

A New Method of Voltage Sag and Swell Detection

The fundamental voltage, current, and phase angle are required for a wide variety of power system applications. An algorithm that is capable of calculating or estimating these quantities in real time, in the presence of distorted waveforms, finds application in diverse areas of power systems. Techniques to detect voltage sag include the root mean square (rms), Fourier transform, and peak voltage detection methods. The problem with these methods is that they use a windowing technique and can therefore be too slow when applied to detect voltage sags for mitigation since they use historical data. Recent work in the field of signal processing has led to an algorithm that can extract a single non-stationary sinusoidal signal out of a given multi-component input signal. The algorithm is capable of estimating the amplitude, phase and frequency. In this paper, the algorithm is compared to existing methods of sag detection